Concern rises as Chicago Cubs continue to review Seiya Suzuki injury

Silence is still emanating from Chicago Cubs manager David Ross in regard to the left oblique injury that kept starting right fielder Seiya Suzuki from appearing in the team's first two Cactus league games this past weekend.

Over the weekend, Ross indicated that he would provide reporters with an update on Suzuki's status on Monday but would appear that the team is still reviewing the results of the MRI that was done.

"Wait and See" may not be an indicator of the severity of Suzuki's injury. Given that Suzuki was planning on participating in the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan in March, there likely are conversations being had between Suzuki, the Cubs, and Team Japan officials regarding his status for the tournament. Given how important participating in the World Baseball Classic is for players, there certainly is a need for the Cubs to handle the situation delicately. Having said that, there is no question that the priority for the Cubs should be ensuring that Suzuki is on a path to being healthy for Opening Day.

The fact, however, that it is now Monday and the Cubs haven't downplayed the injury could be a sign that the team saw something in the MRI that made them want to evaluate further. It's possible that the injury is one that may require Suzuki to be sidelined for a week or two without the risk of aggravating it further. If that is the case, then that is why there would be a need for caution for the Cubs when determining whether or not he should be allowed to play in the World Baseball Classic.

With Suzuki currently sidelined, this does allow for an extended look at prospects such as Brennen Davis and Yonathan Perlaza. Davis is looking to reclaim his status as a top prospect in baseball this season whereas Perlaza has the ability to play multiple positions and could see a Christopher Morel-type breakout.